IPSWICH Town fans can order their sedatives and prepare for the trauma of the First Division play-offs.Hat-tricks by whizz-kids Darren Bent and Dean Bowditch over the last six days have rocketed Joe Royle's side back on course for a tilt at the Premiership.

IPSWICH Town fans can order their sedatives and prepare for the trauma of the First Division play-offs.

Hat-tricks by whizz-kids Darren Bent and Dean Bowditch over the last six days have rocketed Joe Royle's side back on course for a tilt at the Premiership.

Just when it seemed Town had blown it with three consecutive defeats, the Blues have bounced back in style with wins over Walsall and Watford.

Saturday's 4-1 victory against Watford not only saw 17-year-old Bowditch become the youngest player to score three for Town it also pushed Ipswich up to eighth place.

A victory at bottom-placed Wimbledon on Saturday will take Royle's men to 62 points, with seven games then left in which to gain the extra 12 points or so that ought to be enough to claim a top six place.

Town's crippling financial plight has forced Royle to offload a string of top players, but the Blues boss has managed to field competitive sides despite the succession of departures and a lengthy injury list.

He has been the target for increasing criticism since the turn of the year as results have dipped after a remarkable successful autumn.

But Royle has worked wonders to wrestle his side into their current threatening position. He will not deserve blame if a play-off place does not materialise, but with a new on-loan striker a possibility by the time Town travel to Wimbledon, Ipswich can still reach for the stars.